William's Revenge

Returning To Indonesia

"Uncle, I don't want to go home!" Andini said to the adult man standing in front of her. She hated the man's presence. No matter how far she stayed away, she would eventually be overpowered.

Without her permission, he had given orders to some of her bodyguards to clear out her belongings. Andini felt defeated, she had no power and no strength to fight back. What should she do now? Was there anyone else willing to help her? There was no one who could help her in this country. Aunt was dead. The only person who could protect her was gone from this world.

"You should go home, Andini." The man with square glasses was no less firm in his answer. There was no uncertainty in his eyes. "There are no exceptions. I have orders to take you home."

"What if I don't want to?" challenged Andini without a hint of fear in her eyes.

"Don't blame me for being rude to you."

"Do you want to kill me? Go ahead. I have no more purpose to live. Please kill me, Uncle. Is that what you want? To you, I'm just a nuisance!"

There was no answer. The man moved and let Andini talk as much as she wanted. After all, whatever Andini said - it wouldn't change him to leave her alone in this country.

There was nothing that could hold Andini back from returning to Indonesia. All this time, after her mother's death, Andini lived in Singapore with her mother's sister, Aunt Eka. A month ago, Aunt Eka passed away suddenly. Her passing left a second deep sorrow. Aunty Eka loved Andini unconditionally, like her own biological daughter.

"If Uncle doesn't want to end my life, then I will end it myself." Andini threatened. People who have lost their way can do anything without fear.

"Did you speak?"

"Adimas Hartanto should have died back then. My life wouldn't be ruined like this if he had died 8 years ago!

"Watch your language, Andini. He is your real father!"

"I never asked someone like him to be my father!"

"What an ignorant child. If it wasn't for your father, you two wouldn't be living here. Have some self-awareness."

Andini clenched her hands into fists. She did not accept Lukman's words. "I never asked for money from him!"

"Then get out of this house and support yourself!"

"Okay!"

Andini immediately went into the room and sorted out her belongings that were still left behind by some of the bodyguards Lukman had brought with him. Her tears were held in her eyes. She picked up a medium-sized backpack and stuffed her belongings stressfully.

Seeing that Andini was quite hurt by his words, Lukman approached her again. "College is not right. Living for 25 years, only bothering others. And now, want to be independent? Hahaha."

Andini could no longer contain herself. She put her clenched fist behind her back. She rushed over to Lukman, who was standing in front of the door, ready to throw a punch at the savage in front of her.

"Don't mess with me. If you're not the son of someone I consider my own brother, you'll lose your life right now." Andini's hand was caught by the well-proportioned Lukman.

Unable to stand Andini's disrespectful treatment, Lukman was forced to reveal his true colors. Their eyes met. And he gave Andini a vicious stare.

Now Lukman did not distinguish Andini from his enemies. If Andini messed up again, he would not hesitate to give her a shocking effect. Even though Andini is his boss's daughter, he doesn't accept it if his boss is insulted, including by his own daughter.

Seeing Lukman's suddenly different eyes as he looked at her, her nerves instantly shrank. The enthusiasm he showed just now disappeared without a trace. Andini looked away, not daring to stare at the sharp eyes any longer.

 "The car will be ready in ten minutes. Come out immediately. Om will be waiting out front." Lukman then left as he had said.

Andini stepped gingerly. The walls, the items that had been covered by the white cloth, seemed to say a farewell sentence that only she could understand.

In his chest, there was an empty space that seemed uninhabitable. That space seemed destined to be left alone without any figure who could and was allowed to enter. That space was his heart. His heart was empty, like a loud barrel, but it meant nothing.

***

The ten minutes given by Lukman, Andini made the most of it. Her feet stepped slowly. One by one, she climbed the steps of the circular staircase. Her tiny hands grasped the edge of the stairs, then let her palms drag along with her rising footsteps.

There was only one way to keep him from returning to Indonesia. The only way that would free him from any restraints.

She felt euphoric. His chest was heaving. It was as if she was free and free. It was as if all the problems and traumas in his life disappeared as his feet continued to move up.

"Life is such an asshole," he said quietly.

"Life is worthy of scorn."

She had reached all the steps. Now she was ready to jump down. Her head looked up slowly. Her eyes closed and a smile began to show on her small but alluring lips. Her arms moved as if to the beat of a song known only to her.

It brings to mind his childhood moments with his mother. Where it's just them holding hands, smiling for the simplest things, and through thick and thin, they still do it together.

"Mom, are we going to stay together?" Andini asked when she was three years old. At that age, she slowly realized that Adimas' job was not the ideal job she had been talking about to her friends.

"We will always be together and there will always be you, Mama, and Daddy. Your presence makes me very happy." Melisa explained as she hugged Andini warmly.

The pair of closed eyes slowly let out a patter of pain. Now, there wouldn't be a single human who would want anything to do with her. No one would care about her either. Everything would be done by herself. Just imagining it was painful and the weight on her chest was asking to descend into the deepest abyss. The abyss that would release her from the pain of loss.

She was ready. Her body was now ready to dance in the air. Andini leaned her body, taking her cue. And then, flew while imagining that her face and body would be left behind horribly.

 I'm going home.

When Andini had released the hold. For some reason, someone forcefully held her hand tightly. The man held her down. Andini felt his grip was so strong.

"There is no time to kill yourself." Lukman did not allow her to die.